Microsoft Teams serves as an effective platform for collaboration, enabling real-time communication and teamwork among your team members. Nonetheless, there might be situations where you need to work alongside external individuals who aren’t members of your organization. This article will guide you through the process of incorporating an external contact into Microsoft Teams.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams
To add an external contact to Microsoft Teams, you need to open the app first. You can do this by clicking on the Microsoft Teams icon on your desktop or by opening a web browser and going to teams.microsoft.com.
Step 2: Click on the “Create” Button
Once you have opened Microsoft Teams, click on the “Create” button located in the top left corner of the screen. This will take you to a new chat or channel where you can add your external contact.
Step 3: Click on the “Add People” Button
In the new chat or channel, click on the “Add people” button located in the top right corner of the screen. This will open a pop-up window where you can add your external contact.
Step 4: Enter the External Contact’s Email Address
In the pop-up window, enter the email address of the external contact you want to add to Microsoft Teams. Make sure that the email address is correct and that the person has a valid Microsoft account.
Step 5: Click on the “Add” Button
Once you have entered the external contact’s email address, click on the “Add” button located in the bottom right corner of the pop-up window. This will add the external contact to your chat or channel.
Step 6: Invite the External Contact to Join Microsoft Teams
After adding the external contact to your chat or channel, you need to invite them to join Microsoft Teams. To do this, click on the “Invite” button located in the top right corner of the screen and enter the email address of the external contact again.
Step 7: Wait for the External Contact to Accept the Invitation
Once you have invited the external contact to join Microsoft Teams, they will receive an email with a link to accept the invitation. They need to click on the link and follow the instructions to join Microsoft Teams.
Step 8: Collaborate with Your External Contact
Once the external contact has accepted the invitation, you can start collaborating with them in real-time. You can share files, chat, and make voice or video calls with your external contact just like any other team member.
Conclusion
Adding an external contact to Microsoft Teams is a simple process that takes only a few minutes. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily collaborate with external contacts and get work done more efficiently.